Combined suction-cleaner, blower, and polishing device.



. F. BLAKE. COMBINED SUCTION CLEANER, BLOWER, AND POLISHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-29,1916.

Hm I 9 1 F0 6 9 D d E t H 6 t a P 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

E 2 HIV/aim B. F. BLAKE.

COMBINED SUCTION CLEANER, BLOWER, AND POLISHING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 29. I916.

LET/AU Patented Dec. 5,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COMBINED SUCTION-CLEANER, BLOWER, AND POLISHING DEVICE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Application filed February 29, 1916. Serial No. 81,257.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that T, BENJAMIN F. BLAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marion, in the county of Marion and State a of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Suction-Cleaners, Blowers, and Polishing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in no suction cleaners, and particularly to a combined suction cleaner, blower and polishing device.

One object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner for extracting dust and it dirt from oors, carpets nd the like, and which also may be employed for producing a suction through a suction hose, or for performing the function of a blower to force a blast of air through a hose, so that W the apparatus may be employed for different kinds of cleaning or dusting, and also for polishing floors and other surfaces when desired.

A further object of the invention is to b provide an electrically driven device of the character described which, when employed as a carpet cleaner or sweeper, will operate to beat or vibrate the carpet while under suction so as to thoroughly free the dust for ready extraction.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a cleaner which is simple of construction, reliable and eflicient in action, and adapted to be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cleaner constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the same. Fig. 3 is a bottom -plan view of the cleaner. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sections on the lines M and 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a face view of the nozzle on an enlarged scale. Fig, 8 is a face view of the coupling member adapted for connection with the nozzle. Fig. .9 is a view of a closure disk or head.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates M an inclosing casing to contain the working the level of the bottom plate 3.

parts of the cleaner, which casing may be made of sheet metal or other suitable ma-.

terial. This casing has a downwardly curved or projecting forward portion 2 terminating in a flat bottom plate 3 which 1s disposed below the plane of the bottom plate 4: of the horizontal rear portion 5 of the casing, which portion 5 terminates in a rearwardly extending nozzle 6. The bottom plates 3 and 4 are provided with openlngs 7 and 8, respectively. These openings may be closed when desired by means of cover plates 9 and 10, adapted for slidable engagement with guideways l1 and 12 on the casing. The opening 8 is provided to permit access to the main casing for the purpose of repairing and cleaning the interior parts, and is normally closed by means of the cover plate 10. The elevated portion 4 of the casing carries caster wheels, or other suitable supporting wheels 13, the tread surfaces of which extend just below Hence when the device is run over the surface of a floor or carpet the plate 3 will travel above but in close proximity to such floor or carpet, for a purpose hereinafter fully described.

Journaled in hearings in the sides of the casing is a stationary shaft or axle 14, upon which is revolubly mounted a hollow shaft or sleeve 15, which shaft or sleeve is provided with a plurality of open-work beater blades or members 16'the outer longitudinal bars of which are provided with rounded contact surfaces 17. These beater blades, of which any desired number may be employed, are mounted at an angle to each other upon the shaft 15, so as to successively come into beating position as the hollow shaft revolves and at different points in the path of revolution of saidshaft. Each blade moves in a working orbit which brings it, when in working position, to project through the opening 7 so as to come in contact with a portion of a rug or carpet which has been raised by suction from the floor, so as to strike or beat the carpet with suflicient force-to loosen up and free the dust therefrom.

When the device is employed as a suction cleaner for cleaning floor coverings and the like, the opening 8 is closed and the opening 7 employed as the suction mouth, whereby, as the machine moves over Tlltlt the surface of the carpet, the portions of the carpet coming successively beneath the opening 7 will be raised or drawn upward .by the suction, and while so raised will be struck by the beater blades, the carpet thus being beaten as well as vibrated vertically by the blows of the blades and counteracting suction force, so that the dust willbe loosened up and drawn into the casing, so that the maximum efliciency in the cleaning operation will be secured.

On the sleeve or shaft 15 is a pulley l8 whichis connected by a belt 19 with a pulley 20 upon the lower end of a vertical drive shaft 21, which shaft extends upwardly through anopening 22 in the bottom of a blower chamber or casing 23, which chamber or casing 23 is disposed in the upper rear portion of the main casing 1 and has arranged therein a fan or blower 24 suitably connected with or driven from said shaft. The shaft 21 may be secur d to or form an extension from the armat re shaft of an electric motor 25 which is arranged within a casing of its own on the top of the blower casing, said fan in operation serving to produce a partial vacuum in the main casing whereby air will be drawn upward throu h the openings 7 and 22 and discharged om the rear side of the blower easing into and through the nozzle 6.

In practice, the radial portions or arms of the beater blades, which connect the longitudinally extending rods or portions thereof with the shaft 16, may be either rigid or composed of resilient material, resilient metal being preferably employed in order to diminish liability of fracture-of any of the parts in the event that the beater should strike any foreign object upon or between the carpet and floor. At the top of the forward portion of the casing is an inlet connection 26, normally closed by a screw cap 27, and upon the nozzle 6 is another inlet connection 28 normally closed by ascrew cap 29, the purposes of which connections will be hereinafter described. Attached to the motor casing 23 are the arms '30 of the forked or bifurcated portion of a handle 31, whereby the device is pushed or drawn over the surface of a floor, and through this handle and the branching arms thereof pass conducting cords or wires 32 for supplying current from a suitable source to the electric motor, thefiow of which current may-be controlled by a switch 33 on the handle.

The dust and other foreign matter drawn in normal position. Any suitable means for detachably securing the bag to the nozzle may be employed. In the present instance I have shown the nozzle formed with a coupling disk or head 37 having a flat abutment face 38 provided at its lower portion with a flange 39, to engage the lower hooked or grooved portion 39 of a couplingring 40 secured to the free end of the bag. As shown, the free edge of the bag extends across the face of this ring'and is clamped in a recess formed in said face by means of an annular clamping member 41 secured to the ring 40 by suitable fastening devices 42. The lower portion of this ring 40, when fitted over the flange 39, will be held in position, and for the purpose of maintaining the coupling membersin connected relation and to form an air-tight joint a pivoted fastening member or latch 42 is provided upon the head 37 to engage a cooperating keeper member 43 on the ring 40. An imperfora-te disk or head 41, adapted to be applied to the head 37 in the same manner as the ring 41, may be employed to close the nozzle when the ring 41 and bag are detached and it is desired to employ the apparatus as a blower in performing certain classes of work.

It will be readily ,understood from the foregoing description that in the use of the device as a carpet sweeper, the dust and other foreign material drawn from the carpet will be forced into the bag 34 and deposited, the air escaping through the interstices between the woven threads of the bag, and that when the bag is filled it may be detached and emptied of its contents and replaced in a simple, convenient and expeditious manner. When it is desired to use the device as a blower, to force air through a hose and jet nozzle for cleaning purposes, the bag 34 is detached, the plate 41 applied to close the nozzle 6, the caps 27 and 29 removed and the hose connected with the connection 28,- whereupon air will be drawn in through the connection 26 and forced out through the connection 28 into the hose pipe. If it should be desired to employ the device as a suction cleaner in connection with a hose, this may be done by closing the openings 7 and 8 and the connection 29 and attaching the hose to the connection 26, so that in the operation of the fan a suction will be produced in the main casing and in the hose, by means of which dust may be drawn through the hose into the device and forced into the bag or receptacle 34 as in the operation of cleaning a carpet. Thus the apparatus, in addition to its use for cleaning I carpets and the like by running it over the same, may also be employed for use in connection with a blast or suction hose so that furniture and other articles and otherwise inaccessible places may be reached and 139 menace a cleaned with facility, rendering the apparatus of general use in vacuum and air blast cleaning, as will be readily understood.

By applying suitable polishing elements to the heaters the device may also be employed for polishing floors and other surfaces.

ll claim 1. A cleaner including a casing having a suction chamber and an elongated duct having a restricted inlet communicating with said chamber, said duct being provided with a dust discharge outlet, blast outlet and air inlet nipples communicating respectively with the suction chamber and the duct, said nipples being provided with suitable closures, a fan arranged within the duct, means for driving the fan, and means for closing the outlet of the duct.

2. A suction cleaner including a casing having a suction chamber in its bottom and provided with superposed fan and motor chambers arranged at the upper rear portion thereof, and an elongated dust discharge duct communicating with the suction and fan chambers, said casing being further provided with air discharge and air inlet nipples communicating respectively with the suction chamber and the duct, said nipples being provided with' suitable closures, a closure for the duct, a fan arranged Within thefan chamber, a motor arranged within the motor chamber, and a driving connection between the motor and fan.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. BENJAMIN F. BLAKE.

Witnesses:

E. G. WIDEMAN, WM. P. Mononnr. 

